Life may be different now but the holidays will still arrive ready to be celebrated and remembered.
This year we know that some things will stay the same, like pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving or Christmas lights to brighten a drive home, and others will have to be tucked away for awhile.
We’ll need to work a bit harder this year to make the holidays special.
So, let’s make the best of this moment. 🙂
Perhaps this is the perfect time to create some extra fun and joy this holiday season by starting a new family tradition.
After all, traditions have to start somewhere, sometime. So why not this year? In fact, for sure this year!
Why Family Traditions Matter
Every family has its own special traditions and that’s important because traditions have many positive benefits.
Those shared experiences we do year after year…
- Help make families unique
- Connect us to one another and help us to belong
- Create forever memories
- Give us something to look forward to
- Help us live in the moment
- Place the focus on people, not technology
- Can be passed down from generation to generation
Traditions are those special times that bring families together, allowing us to express unity as a family and to create bonds that last a lifetime.
Dr. A Brenner, 5 Ways to Create Family Traditions
Traditions can be simple (I’m reminded of my family’s Buttertart Competition of 2019), silly, or even completely random (our Canada Cup family trophy has been awarded each Canada Day to the best golfer, the best bean bag tosser, or the best deep-fried recipe maker, depending on the year).
Traditions don’t have to be complicated, they just have to be repeated.
For example, on the last day of summer holidays year after year, my extended family meets at Mackie’s for French fries, Mackie’s sauce, Orangeade (my fav) and a last walk on the beach. It’s simple but special because it’s our “farewell summer and hello school” ritual.
It checks off all of those boxes of why traditions are so important. We connect and belong, we focus on people and not technology, and some years we’ve had four generations together celebrating the end of summer.
So make this the year to start a family tradition that you and your family will always remember. 🙂
10 Family Tradition Ideas for the Holiday Season
As always, I like to keep it simple so here are some easy ideas to help get you inspired.
#1 Baking Competition
Pies, cookies, cakes, butter tarts, gingerbread houses… the options are endless! And delicious. Want to step it up? Film it like a baking show.
#2 Old School Movie Night
This will make me sound old but remember when the TV Guide used to arrive and you would check off the shows you wanted to watch? Those were the days of Christmas specials like Frosty, Rudolph, Charlie Brown’s Christmas and The Sound of Music, to name a few. It was such a treat to watch these! Make some popcorn and settle back into your childhood for an evening with your own kids.
#3 Time Capsule
My family may not know it yet but we’re in for this one this year! Everyone can contribute something special and it will help us find the positive in a challenging year. I won’t bury it in my backyard but I will store it someplace safe and we’ll take a look in 10 years. That may seem really far away but we know the years fly by and it will be worth the wait.
#4 Christmas Campfire
Bundle up and make s’mores or roast hot dogs while the snow falls.
#5 Fill a Backpack For Kids or Create a Self-Care Kit for Seniors
Over the years our school community has prepared gift bags for students who could use a little support to make the holidays a little brighter. This is something you could prepare at home too. Some items you could include in a backpack are: books, journals, craft supplies, socks, pajamas, toiletries, and chocolates/treats.
Alternatively, you could create a self-care kit to donate to a senior at a local senior’s residence. Anything that makes a senior’s day a little more comfortable is perfect. Items like books, magazines, crafting supplies, socks, toiletries, throws, playing cards and writing paper would be perfect.
#6 Fill a Mason Jar
Mason jars seem to always come in handy whether we’re talking food, crafts, or in this case, traditions!
Ask each family member to contribute something to the jar and then share it at dinner (or after a meal when you are relaxing).
Some ideas of what to include:
- Something for which you are grateful
- A special holiday memory
- Family trivia
Another idea is a twist on a lovely teaching activity. Buy a small mason jar for each member of your family and ask everyone to write something positive about each person on a piece of paper to go into his/her jar. This little jar of thoughtful notes will remind people that you love them and that they are awesome.
#7 Food or Drink Bar
If your kids enjoy cooking and helping in the kitchen, try setting up a food or drink bar. Choose a theme and let everyone contribute ideas for ingredients, flavours and toppings. Here are some examples of “bars” you can prepare and enjoy.
Hot Chocolate
Salad
Baked Potato
Make Your Own Pizza
Macaroni & Cheese
Tacos
Submarine Sandwiches
Ice Cream Sundaes
My kids would be all in for all of these!
#8 Butcher Paper Table Cloth
OK, so maybe tradition is a bit of a stretch for this one but I think it would be a fun change none the less. Instead of fancy place settings, how about go kid-style this year? Roll out some brown butcher paper (you can just use rolls of brown wrapping paper from a dollar store), scatter some crayons and markers along the table, and I bet kids and adults alike will doodle away. Doodling is also a good stress buster and that may just come in handy during the holiday season!
#9 Have a Christmas Eve Socks Exchange
Shout out to my friend for this idea! 🙂
Draw a name, buy a pair of holiday-themed socks and fill them with thoughtful little gifts. Of course, the highlight is wearing your festive new socks on Christmas Day.
#10 Celebrate Something Completely New
Do something totally different by celebrating a special day you didn’t even know existed. You can find daily holidays on sites like National Today.
I’m not really sure how “official” these days are but here are some ideas…
| October | November | December |
|---|---|---|
| 1st – Homemade Cookie Day | 1st – Cook For Your Pets Day | 1st – Christmas Lights Day |
| 2nd – Bike & Walk to School Day | 1st – Men Make Dinner Day (not to be missed!) | 3rd – Giving Tuesday |
| 5th – Do Something Nice Day | 10th – Sesame Street Day | 7th – Letter Writing Day |
| 10th – World Mental Health Day | 13th – World Kindness Day | 12th – Gingerbread House Day |
| 14th – Dessert Day | 17th – Take a Hike Day | 20th – Ugly Sweater Day |
| 21st – Back to Future Day | 26th – Cake Day | 21st – Winter Solstice |
| 25th – Art Day | 30th – Mason Jar Day | 28th – Call a Friend Day |
Bonus Idea: Eat Snow Sandwiches
Yes, it’s true. When I was little my dad used to make us snow sandwiches.
I realize this sounds a tad gross (and cold) but our parents often had it right by keeping things simple and worry-free. Two slices of white Wonderbread filled with snow and call it lunch! No, just kidding. That wasn’t lunch. I bet we washed it down with a few Oreos and then we called it lunch. 🙂
So try a little something different this year that will create special memories and new traditions.
That way, when 2030 arrives and you are unpacking your time capsule, you and your family will remember 2020 as the year that you roasted marshmallows in the snow while wearing your new Christmas socks.
And, it will be the first year you ever made your kids a snow sandwich!
Wishing everyone a holiday season that creates a few new and unique memories.
KJ
Related Links:
Other fun things to do together…
Crafting – How to Create Pebble Art – 5 Easy Steps
Exercise – The Amazing Benefits of Walking